Rally offered hopes for peace

This article did not fully reflect the significance of the Nov. 20 "Solidarity With Israel Rally" that attracted well over 900 people from Westchester in support of Israel and peace in the Middle East.

Besides the 23 elected officials in attendance from all levels of government, the largest applause was reserved for the Hon. Bernd Georg Reindl, a consul from the Federal Republic of Germany, Bishop Martin Nelson of the Bezer Holiness Church in New Rochelle and the Hon. Ido Aharoni, the New York Consul General from Israel. As reported, all of the speakers insisted that Israel, like any other sovereign nation, has the right and responsibility to defend itself from terrorism and acts of war.

However, the other underlying theme of the evening, and the hope of those in attendance, was that the future of the Middle East be one of peace for all citizens with mutual respect and recognition. Indeed, that was the other raison d'etre of the rally, as expressed in words by Rabbi Gordon Tucker of Temple Israel Center of White Plains, and in song by an ensemble of cantors from Kol Hazzanim (the Cantors of Westchester) - offering a memorial prayer for all of the victims of this conflict (Israelis and Palestinians alike) and the hope that peace will come quickly and then endure.

Ronald E. Burton and Elliot Forchheimer

White Plains

The writers are president and executive director of Westchester Jewish Council.

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Rally offered hopes for peace

Re 'Local leaders 'stand with Israel,'' Nov. 21 article:This article did not fully reflect the significance of the Nov. 20 'Solidarity With Israel Rally' that attracted well over 900 people from

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